Download FAR 2025/03 Stock assessment of hake (Merluccius australis) off the West Coast South Island (HAK 7) for the 2023–24 fishing year

Dunn, A. (2025). Stock assessment of hake (Merluccius australis) off the West Coast South Island (HAK 7) for the 2023–24 fishing year. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2025/03. 68 p.

This report provides a stock assessment of the west coast South Island stock of hake (HAK 7 off the west coast of New Zealand) up to the end of the 2023–24 fishing year. The index of abundance provided to the model was the west coast South Island Tangaroa trawl survey series and this was combined with fishery and survey age composition data to model the population.

Initial spawning stock biomass (SSB) was estimated at 75 480 t (70 830–81 830) with current SSB 47% B0 (34–67% B0). The model was sensitive to assumptions about recent and future year class strengths. If we assume lower recruitment for years after 2017 (at the 2008–2017 level), the current SSB is estimated as 39% B0 (23–50% B0).